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TCA Chairman Casts Lot Against ATA Integration

Gary Baumhover, chairman of the Truckload Carriers Assn., is urging members of TCA to vote against integration with American Trucking Assns. In a March 10 letter to TCA members, Baumhover explained that while he wants ATA to handle industry lobbying, he has a problem with ATA’s mandatory membership requirement.

Under ATA’s restructuring plan, scheduled to take effect at the end of this year, members of ATA conferences have to join both ATA and a state trucking association. “I, along with many of our members, have a problem with the mandatory membership requirement, which would exclude approximately 55% of TCA’s current membership from belonging to TCA in the future,” Baumhover wrote.He said he recommends that TCA members vote “no” on integration, because it might give the parties time to find a consensus that includes all TCA members.Baumhover, senior vice president of business development at Grojean Transportation, Dubuque, IA, said it has been his responsibility to report the TCA leadership’s support for integration, but his personal position varies from theirs. The other officers and Executive Committee of TCA have voted in favor of integration.

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The vote of the full membership is scheduled for March 22 at TCA’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL.